A New Chocolate Chip Cookie
Raise your hand if you’ve ever made the chocolate chip cookie recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House chocolate chip bag. Now raise your hand if they always come out of the oven too flat and floppy, no matter how meticulously you stick to the recipe. You may put your hands down.
Your inability to produce a decent cookie using America’s best-loved recipe isn’t entirely your fault: it’s just a terrible recipe. Yes, terrible. Despite it’s enduring popularity, the ingredient proportions and method are simply not conducive to cookie success. Luckily, the meticulous recipe-testers at Cook’s Illustrated magazine have come up with a better version of the tasty dessert, my adaptation of which you’ll find below. It requires a little bit more thought and effort than the traditional cookie recipe, but I can promise you the results are immensely satisfying. The melted butter method produces a chewy and thick cookie with a deep caramel flavor. Make some for your special someone, your roommate, or just for yourself.
Anna Chapin/ The Eagle
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
7 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup +2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips
1. Place butter in a light-colored (ie NOT non-stick) skillet or saucepan. Turn heat to medium and let the butter melt.
2. When butter is melted, begin to slowly swirl it around in the pan, keeping it moving so that it does not burn.
3. Continue swirling for about 4 minutes, or until butter has turned a caramel brown color. It should smell nutty and have some visible brown specks.
4. Remove from heat and let sit while you combine the sugars and salt in a large bowl.
5. Add the butter, egg, and vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat together with a wire whisk, electric mixer, or fork (plus a lot of arm strength) for about a minute.
6. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes, then beat together for another minute. Repeat.
7. The mixture should be thick and shiny by this point. If it isn’t, repeat the rest/beat process again.
8. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and chocolate chips until just combined.
9. Place cookie dough in the fridge overnight, or at least 8 hours. This is important!
10. When ready to bake, divide dough into 9 golfball-sized lumps and bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for approximately 10 minutes.
Posted in AU Gourmet
February 16th, 2011 at 9:59 pm
Any chance you bring some of these into the Eagle office???
February 17th, 2011 at 12:31 am
I’ve never had a problem with the Toll House recipe… then again, I rarely meet a chocolate chip cookie I don’t like!
February 17th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
I have to take issue with your criticisms of the toll house recipe. The author of the Cook’s Illustrated article and other noted culinary personalities hold the toll house recipe in high regard, they admit that any attempts to change it will alter the recipe must produce a significant improvement over the original. I agree that this recipe is better, the browned butter lends an incredible butterscotch flavor to the cookies and the melted butter produces a cookie with a crisp exterior and a toffee like interior. I just do not feel it is necessary to be so harsh on the classic toll house recipe in order to make this one seem superior.
February 17th, 2011 at 10:32 pm
I like the Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe too. I usually add a little extra flour so they do not come out flat at all. I think it may also depend on the altitude where you live.